We’re getting used to seeing Kristen Stewart nearly naked. Last Wednesday, on a not unseasonal winter’s evening, the Twilight star and style icon stepped on to the red carpet at the British premiere of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II in a black lace jumpsuit by Beirut-based designer Zuhair Murad.

The uncompromising couture creation featured lace panels down the side of the legs, leaving no room for smalls of any kind. Stewart’s best-covered bits were probably her thighs. But she was staying on form: previously, at the LA premiere, Stewart had donned a sheer nude gold gown by the same designer.

And she’s not the only one. Bond girls Naomie Harris and Bérénice Marlohe opted for sheer at various Skyfall premieres, perhaps in homage to Marlohe’s costume in the film: a bodice and floor-length satin skirt, covered with Swarovski Crystals.

Of all recent red carpet looks, this has been the most fiendishly clever. At first glance, the dresses appear Old Hollywood: Stewart’s LA bodice dress was floor-length; the jumpsuit had a high neckline. Even Harris’s dazzling dress, by London-based designer Marios Schwab, was cut high and hung low.

At second glance, however, as the flashbulbs made clear, the clothes are transparent.

‘We designed the dress to create an illusion of transparency,’ says Schwab, of what has turned out to be his most requested look. ‘We were looking at concepts between light and dark, veiling, shadows across the body. We were looking at how you interpret femininity but in a contemporary and hard-edged way.’

Luisa De Paula, of online retailer my-wardrobe.com, is a fan. ‘It’s a modern show-stopping look that can never fail to stand out against the rest,’ she says.

Jayne Pickering, of Marie Claire magazine, agrees. ‘Kristen and Bérénice both looked sensational,’ she says. ‘They have amazing figures and nothing to hide.’ Sheer has precedence: for inspiration, Schwab turned to the ‘naked’ dresses designed by Jean Louis for Marlene Dietrich’s 1953 nightclub acts to make it look as if she was wearing sequins on her bare skin. Marilyn Monroe’s unforgettable cocktail dress in Some Like It Hot was similarly sexy and glamourous.

Today’s dresses are more coy but no less striking. ‘Transparent dresses actually have a veiling effect,’ says Natalie Kingham, of luxury retailer Matches. ‘The play between “reveal and conceal” feels glamorous but is also highly flattering. Sheer fabric makes the skin appear flawless.’

When done right, she says, sheer can be sexy without being vulgar. And certainly, for all the flesh on show, none of the actresses working the style on the red carpet looked remotely skanky.

‘It’s a look you think is going to be too adventurous for certain women,’ admits Schwab. ‘But it has this dreaminess about it. It’s very seductive but it’s covered by a very traditional haute couture technique; our dress was covered in sequins. The reason it’s so successful is that it’s quite daring but, at the same time, quite demure.’

There are a few obvious difficulties for the everyday punter. Stewart, Harris and company are toned to within an inch of their lives. If there’s five per cent body fat between them, we’ll eat our control pants. Speaking of which, Spanx will not be enough. Allow your eyes to drift over Harris et al and there is no bulge, not anywhere.

If it’s any consolation, if you’d spent a year running around a forest pretending to be a vampire, or a year racing around after Daniel Craig, you’d be as tight as a drum, too. So can ordinary women carry off nearly nude? And will we be seeing more of our co-workers than expected at next month’s parties?Yes, says De Paula: ‘Sheer dresses will be a key look this season, especially as it’s such a big trend for spring.’

At my-wardrobe.com , a sheer bodice gown by Catherine Deane has been re-ordered for the second time; Raoul’s floral chiffon maxi dress is another best-seller.

At Matches, Schwab’s show-stopping Gloria gown has sold out. Meanwhile, Lanvin’s silk-organza tulip dress and Saloni’s spectactular evening gown have both been wafting out the shop doors.

A top tip, says Pickering, is to prepare your body well. ‘Even for stars such as Stewart and Harris, this look requires a huge amount of maintenance,’ she warns. ‘Make sure you have spent enough time being waxed and moisturised, for example.’

Choose underpinnings with the same care and attention you’d pick a nanny for your first born. ‘It doesn’t have to be nude,’ says Pickering. ‘Bold colours can really add to an outfit.’ Keep make-up understated: all three actresses stuck to dramatic eyes or strong lips but not both at the same time.Finally, and obviously, pick something that draws attention to your good bits and hides your bad bits. ‘It’s a bold look that takes courage but there are ways to carry it off with sheer panels and layered long chiffon skirts or chiffon tops,’ says De Paula.

Your manager and the skinny bloke from accounts could be in for a treat this season.

Get the look on the High Street

Sprakle in Reiss’ Etta Dress (Picture: Reiss)

A classic cut from Mango (Picture: Mango)

Sheer is actually one of the less complicated red-carpet styles that can be conquered on the high street. The key is choosing what to show off – and that doesn’t necessarily mean skin. There’s no secret to what’s under a chiffon overlay, so why not make it exciting?

Reiss’ Etta Dress (£195, www.reiss.com) exposes a layer of shimmering emerald sequins through ink blue chiffon. A classic-cut dress with sheer panels adds extra glamour to a timeless look – try Mango’s dress (£44.99, www.mango.com ). It’s the perfect way to push the envelope without revealing too much. If you do dare to bare, try a basic chiffon maxi dress over a darker coloured bodysuit for an elegant, slim-lined effect.